A place and space to survive: A dance/movement therapy program for childhood sexual abuse survivors

Creative arts in psychotherapy treatment protocol for children after trauma

“…Dance/movement can be a particularly helpful way to address relational issues, because moving in a shared space and embodied self-expressions witnessed by others stimulate group interaction (e.g. Ho, 2015). For instance, mirroring activities (where one person or the entire group follow the spontaneous movements initiated by an individual) are used to establish a sense of connection and understanding between two people.…”

“…By using arts in the therapeutic process, the opportunity is offered to the client to move out of the thinking mind, or stuck mode, into a realm where they can actually have an impact on what is happening, through the use of manipulable materials, by transforming an image into something else, or by employing symbolism as a kind of protective barrier against the actuality of what happened. Through physical activities such as dancing and drama, the child has an opportunity to re-orient and re-gain control over his or her own body, something that is especially important after sexual and physical abuse (Ho, 2015;Koch et al, 2014;Lamers-Winkelman, 1997). Incorporating physical activities relates to the way in which young children learn and communicate, using movement rather than language (Lamers-Winkelman, 1997).…”

“…This form of therapy integrates art practices with principles of psychotherapy and counselling (Malchiodi, 2015). Creative treatments are supposed to help externalize thoughts in a safe space (Cassidy, Turnbull, & Gumley, 2014;Malchiodi, 2015), stimulate sensory processing of traumatic memories stored in the body (Harris, 2009;Ho, 2015;Koch, Kunz, Lykou & Cruz, 2014;Levine, 2010), provide a sense of containment for difficult feelings and emotions (Skeffington & Browne, 2014), and in this way offer the possibility of helping children to heal from the debilitating effects of abuse and violence (Malchiodi, 2015;Pretorius & Pfeifer, 2010). Additionally, creative activities may offer children opportunities and expressions through which they can explore alternative ways of responding to life experiences (Camic, 2008;Vermetten, Kleber, & Van der Hart, 2012, p. 582).…”

Left / Write // Hook: A mixed method study of a writing and boxing workshop for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and trauma

“…Previous studies have explored the healing and recovery processes for survivors of CSA. In particular, studies in the area of dance movement therapy have provided strong evidence to support the idea that creative work (whether writing, drama, painting or dance) combined with conscious body movement are complementary elements serving to improve the wellbeing and post-traumatic growth for trauma survivors (Jorba-Galdos, 2014;Gray, 2001;Winters Fisher, 2019;Ho, 2015;Orkibi, Bar, and Eliakim, 2014;Mills and Daniluk, 2002;Panhofer & Payne, 2011). The idea that the body "feels, knows and remembers" (Panhofer, 2017, p.6) is explored in the program of LWH, first through creative writing prompts, then through the act of boxing as a tool of outward expression.…”

Creative arts in psychotherapy for traumatized children in South Africa: An evaluation study

“…Facilitating (creative) therapies for traumatized children in a group setting can have additional benefits, because group members can facilitate trust and disclosure, providing an opportunity for children to realize they are not alone in their problems, and finding peer-support [24, 25]. Creative arts activities can reinforce these group benefits by serving as a medium for communication, for instance dance/movement can help establish a sense of connection and understanding between people [26], and music provides a medium to communicate and build relations [27].…”